The War On ISIS Has 'No Name' — And It Won't Get One Anytime Soon

Residents inspect a damaged site in what activists say
was a US strike, in Kfredrian, Idlib province, on Sept.
23.REUTERS/Abdalghne
Karoof

So far, the military operations against the group Islamic State
(also known as ISIL and ISIS) and other jihadists in Syria and
Iraq that are
being led by US Central Command have not been given a name.

According to retired Admiral William J. Fallon, who commanded
CENTCOM during a period from 2007 to 2008, the lack of a name is
somewhat unusual. In fact, in a conversation with Business
Insider on Wednesday, Fallon said CENTCOM was probably using a
name for the operations internally.

"They usually have a name," Fallon said, adding, "I'm sure they
do."

However, shortly after Business Insider spoke to Fallon, CENTCOM
spokesman Major Curtis Kellogg insisted the operations against
ISIS remained unnamed.

"There currently is no name for this operation,"
Kellogg said. "When/if that occurs, it will likely be announced
by DoD or Joint Staff."

"I'm sure they have one, but it's not a big deal," Fallon said.
"That's one of the minor, minor things. It's just shorthand for
people to be able to refer to a thing."

A spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of Defense echoed
the argument the naming issue was not major.

"There is no legal significance in the naming of operations, nor
does it affect legal authority," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also suggested the operations would not be given
a name anytime soon.

"No official name has been given to the series of targeted
strikes we have taken, and we do not have a timeline for a name
to be assigned, if at all," they said.

According to a CENTCOM spokesperson, names for operations led by
the command would be conceived by a "group" within CENTCOM.

"Somebody here, or a group of individuals here at CENTCOM will
come up with a name. Everything will be mulled over within this
group of individuals," the spokesperson said. "Lots of things
come into play when you actually name something. You don't just
pull out of the air ... There's a lot of things that go into it
... They're taking into consideration everything."

After officials at CENTCOM come up with a name, the spokesperson
said, it is sent to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for approval.
However, the spokesperson indicated the president could get
involved in the naming process.

"It's sent up to Joint Chiefs," the spokesperson said, adding,
"unless the White House comes up with something."